Police: Woman may have hanged self over Turnpike before truck hit her in Montco

Police are treating as a possible suicide the Wednesday night death of a woman who reportedly was hanging from a bridge when a tractor-trailer ran into her on the Turnpike in Montgomery County.

A woman, reportedly dangling from the Camp Hill Road overpass near Fort Washington, was hit by the truck about 9:35 p.m. on Interstate 276, part of the main Turnpike, a police officer said Wednesday.

Moments later, police radioed that a person had been hit by several vehicles near mile marker 339 in the Turnpike's westbound lanes. The county coroner's office pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

Other reports from the scene indicated the victim jumped from the bridge, but police did not comment publicly on that possibility.

Upper Dublin Township police and state police were at the scene late Wednesday. The center and right lanes of the Turnpike's westbound lanes were closed, and traffic moved at a reduced speed on the open lane for hours.

Township detectives, in charge of the investigation, could not be reached for more information Thursday. A coroner's office spokesman said the investigation still was active and a statement on the death probably will be issued Friday.

The incident happened east of Route 309 and west of Route 611.

A pedestrian was killed in the same area of the Turnpike early Oct. 15, 2011, when he was hit by a car in the westbound lanes. That victim was a 24-year-old Philadelphia man.